The First Quarter-Quell
by Darkened-Asura
Summary: This a story regarding the events of the First Quarter Quell that I have created. Two district 7 boys are thrown into a new type of the games and are forced to survive.


**The First Quarter-Quell**

**Chapter 1**

The axe slammed with tremendous force and precision into the side of the tree, creating a huge slice in its side. The boy held the axe with a tight grip and power with perfectly placed hands, showing his expertise with the tool. He wore a dark tank-top with a blood red bandanna. He also wore tattered black jeans, and dark work boots. He was dripping of sweat from the physically demanding work of a lumberjack, even though he had technically been doing the work of one for a few years now. The boy kept chopping away at the tall tree until it made a loud creak, signalling its fall. Satisfied with his work, he watched the tree fall from its great height, eventually smashing into the ground. The boy lodged his axe into what was left of the trunk where the tree used to be, and decided to rest from his exhausting work for a few moments.

Behind him, the boy could hear rapid footsteps approaching, the sound of someone sprinting. Before he could turn around completely, he heard a familiar voice call out his name.

"Surprise Kaine!" Called the voice. Before Kaine could react, Hugo lunged at him and tackled him to the ground. Kaine slammed down hard, his back taking all of the blow. He lay on the ground stunned for a few seconds while Hugo stood up and laughed hysterically.

"Come on!" Hugo shot Kaine a wide grin. "You'll have to do better than that if you end up getting picked for the games! You know it's brutal out there!"

Kaine sat up, half annoyed and half laughing, and looked up at Hugo. "I've been training all day and you caught me off guard." Grunted Kaine. "If I wasn't so tired I'd have grabbed you during that sloppy, cheap tackle and kicked your ass."

Once again Hugo laughed, and he helped his best friend up off the muddy and dusty ground. "Now we both know what always happens when we spar." Hugo smirked. "You've never beaten me. I'll admit, you're quite good, but you're still not on my level. We might both be 16 but I'm slightly older, making me more experienced than you."

Kaine looked away with the bitter sense of defeat starting to resurface inside of him. He had long since desired to beat his rival in hand to hand combat, fair and square. Hugo had always had the upper hand in skill, even during their first fight. The fight that secured their fates as best friends. Both were exhausted, and they were at their limits. One final punch was all it took, and Kaine was down. They found respect for each other that day, and it has never wavered since.

Kaine snapped back to the present, and looked his friend in the eyes. He raised his finger and pointed right in Hugo's face. "One day..." Said Kaine. "... I will beat you down, and I will win. I swear it."

Hugo put out his arms and shrugged his shoulders "Well, maybe you will." Said Hugo. "I just doubt it'll be anytime soon, even with all your training." Hugo focused on Kaine and smirked. "You were right, you never take off that damn headband. I don't think I've ever seen you without it."

Kaine's fingers ran across the dark red bandanna he was wearing. He treasured it more than anything he owned. It was a gift from his father at a young age before he passed away and his mother committed suicide. His father used to comment on how warrior-like Kaine looked with it on, and that always made him happy. It stood as a memory of his hard childhood, filled with loneliness, but as a symbol of his strength through surviving it all. He did feel warrior-like after all.

" I suppose you haven't." Kaine looked over at Hugo. "It means a lot to me, I thought I told you already?"

Hugo scratched at the back of his head, trying to force a memory of Kaine telling him the meaning of it. "Nope." Hugo shrugged. "You might of, but I sure as hell don't remember it. Still..." Hugo grinned. "it's about time we headed back into civilization for the reaping. I also caught some squirrels back there, enough for the both of us."

Kaine smiled at his friend. "It's about damn time." He chuckled. "I'm starving after all that."


End file.
